Car trouble symptoms

The steering wheel makes a clicking sound when turning, while turning the steering wheel when driving, the clicking sound is heard coming from the front end. This particular problem/noise can often be traced to something called a "CV Joint" (If so equipped). However, only front-wheel-drive cars have CV joints. Therefore, is your car a front-wheel-drive? if so, then the problem is a faulty outboard CV joint that is causing the noise.

What is the Clicking Sound When I Turn My Steering Wheel

(1) CV joint problem.
(2) Front-end components problem.

Car troubleshooting

If the car has front-wheel-drive it has CV Joints (since all front-wheel drive vehicles have CV joints). Now, you may be saying to yourself, "What are CV Joints and what do they have to do with this clicking noise I'm hearing?" Well, CV Joints (i.e. Constant Velocity Joints) are, very generally, flexible joints that allow for the smooth application of the engine's power to the front wheels of a vehicle. There are two types of CV Joints, inboard, and outboard - the outboard joints being nearest to the wheel.

Among mechanics, it is a known fact that when an outboard CV Joint is either worn or damaged, it will often make some sort of noise. When the vehicle is turning, this noise is usually a clicking sound. Although this doesn't seem like much of an explanation, just accept it as a "rule of thumb" that is based on the experience of many mechanics.

What to do?

Crawl underneath the front of this vehicle (the side where the clicking noise is coming from) and inspect the outboard CV Joint boot (the boot is the rubber, ribbed "thing" which contains the CV Joint). Refer to a repair manual covering this vehicle if you aren't sure what you're looking for. If the boot is torn in any way, this means that road dirt/grime has ruined the joint and thus is causing the joint to make a clicking noise during turns. In this case, you'll need to have the CV Joint replaced.

However, even if the boot isn't torn, this does not mean that the CV Joint inside the boot is OK - more than likely there's still something wrong with it (since you are hearing, what is called by mechanics, the "CV Joint click"). In any case, take this vehicle to a garage and ask the mechanic to find out exactly what is causing the clicking noise. Good luck.

If your car is a rear-wheel drive, the most likely cause of the clicking noise is damage or binding front-end components.

Unfortunately, there really isn't much we can explain in this particular situation. As was mentioned, although a faulty CV Joint is a common cause of this problem, it's not a possibility here since this vehicle is a rear-wheel drive and such vehicles don't have CV Joints.

So then, the only thing we can think of is that a front-end component is damaged and thus binding. Specifically, when a vehicle is turning, its front-end components are under more stress than when the vehicle is going straight. The added stress on the damaged front end component must be causing it to bind and therefore causing the clicking noise you're hearing. Some front-end components that could be causing such noise are a tie rod end, control arm bushing, steering knuckle, or a ball joint. Incidentally, another possibility is that a wheel bearing has been damaged.

What to do?

Have a mechanic inspect the front-end parts of this vehicle and make any necessary repairs. Take care of this problem soon since the clicking noise is merely a warning of something more serious to come, like possibly a broken front end component and thus serious traffic accident.

Try to find a garage that is approved by the AAA. Such garages tend to be reputable and, best of all, if you do have a dispute after the work is done, the AAA has the policy to investigate the situation and resolve it.

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